Scattered
by kitten4979
Summary: Set approximately five years from the S4 finale, Danny, Mary, Sam, and Mike scatter from the Montecito, only to be brought back when tragedy strikes. A DannyMary fic. Updated, but not in a good way.
1. the Four Winds

Perched on the sill of the bedroom window of her villa, Mary Connell gazed at the setting sun over the marina as she calmly smoked a cigarette.

"I know, Sam," she said into her cell phone as she slowly exhaled. "I know it's been a long time… I know it's been nearly a month. But…"

She slowly licked her lips as the naked torso in her bed began to stir.

"You know how crazy Saint-Tropez can be… Tourists everywhere… I finally got a chance to take a breath today. Today was my first full day off in ages…"

Catching a glimpse of a leg kicking off the bed sheet that had entangled it, she ended her conversation swiftly.

"Why don't we meet up in Cannes or Nice this weekend or whenever you're not too busy in Monaco…? The season's beginning to wind down and so it's starting to slow down at the hotel… Think about it. Please…? Take care, Sam… I miss you too," she said before pressing the end button.

"Who was that?" the male voice asked sleepily as Mary stubbed out her cigarette.

Mary smiled sweetly as she soaked in the sight of the naked man in her bed and left her seat at the window.

"Just an old friend," she said as she sat at the edge of the bed. She bent and kissed him softly.

"Mmm…" the man said as he cupped her face and deepened the kiss. "Next time, please give Miss Samantha Jane my regards."

"I will," Mary whispered huskily as his hands began unbuttoning her shirt.

Mary frowned as her cell phone began vibrating again.

"I wonder what does she want now?"

Her brows furrowed deeper when she saw the name on her caller ID. She untangled herself from the man.

"This is Mary Connell."

---

Sam Marquez stared at her cell phone as the screen turned black. Frowning, she turned to look at her view of Monte Carlo from her penthouse roof garden. Semi-retired and bored, she listened as the city bustled and zoomed below her. As much as she didn't like to admit it, she missed her redheaded friend dearly. As Mary noted, the season was slowing down, as was the steady stream of high rollers Sam had to entertain at the Casino. Breaking into her thoughts, a rottweiler whimpered softly and pawed at her leg.

"What's the matter, Reg?" she asked as she reached down from her chaise and scratched his chin. "Is it time for your walk?"

The dog barked enthusiastically as she got up from her seat. She quietly padded downstairs to the kitchen and found his leash. Eager for his walk, Reggie met her at the front door. She crouched and secured his leash before lead him into the busy Mediterranean resort traffic.

"Maybe we can schedule a trip next weekend. Would you like that, Reggie?"

The dog wagged its tail happily at her.

"Yea…" Sam agreed. "I'd like that too."

The petite brunette and the rottweiler walked in silence as he led her down Avenue D'Ostende towards the sea. Deep in thought, Sam jumped when she felt her phone ring in her hand. Not bothering to check the caller ID, she assumed it was Mary calling her back, but in case it was a client, she answered in her usual business tone, "Sam Marquez."

---

"Great show today, Mr. Cannon."

"Thanks, George. Matt, Meredith… Ann! I'll see you all tomorrow morning!" Mike Cannon called out as he left the Today Show studio at Rockefeller Plaza and headed out for lunch. 

He paused briefly to pick up the Las Vegas Sun at a newsstand. He smiled as he inhaled the New York City traffic and air and strolled seven blocks to Bryant Park with the paper tucked safely under his arm.

"The usual, Mr. Cannon?"

"You know it, Vic."

The vendor grinned widely as he prepared a polish sausage with extra kraut and mustard.

"Here you go, Mr. Cannon."

"Thanks, Vic," Mike said gratefully as he paid the vendor. "And how many times do I have to tell you? It's Mike."

"Sorry, Mister… Mike."

Mike smiled as he took his lunch.

"You know, I like you more than that Al Roker fellow," the gruff-looking vendor said somewhat shyly.

Mike beamed.

"Really?" 

"Oh yea," the vendor said, growing more confident. "You're much better than that guy. You can actually tell the weather. That Al… he couldn't."

Mike laughed heartily.

"Thanks, Vic," he said as he lightly punched the man on the shoulder. "That means a lot to me. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Not if I see you first," Vic smirked.

"Right, right…"

Mike chuckled as he sat down on his usual bench by the Dodge Monument, overlooking the Great Lawn. He watched as the city move past him. He readied himself for a bite of his hot dog when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. Staring longingly at his lunch, he groaned as he dug the phone out and answered, "Mike Cannon."

---

Danny McCoy stared at the report in front of him, barely registering the information he had tried reading for the past two hours. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand how McCoy Construction was losing money. Frustrated, he pushed himself away from his desk and grabbed his suit jacket.

"Monica," he called out as he headed for his office door.

"Yes, Mr. McCoy," a petite blonde asked as he breezed past her desk.

"I'm going out for a while. Please don't contact me unless it is an absolute emergency."

"Yes, Mr. McCoy," she said obediently. "But what if…?"

"Or if either one of them call," Danny answered matter-of-factly.

"Of course," Monica smiled, slightly embarrassed that she asked.

Danny paused at the office suite door.

"Monica, what time is it?"

She quickly checked her watch.

"It's eight sixteen, Mr. McCoy."

Danny nodded.

"Why don't you take the day off?"

"Are you sure, Mr. McCoy?" Monica asked, surprised. "I just got here…"

Danny nodded again.

"Yea… Go home and spend some time with your family. I don't know if I'm even going to be back in. If anyone needs to get a hold of me immediately, they have my cell phone," Danny reasoned. "Have a good day off, Monica."

"Thank you, Mr. McCoy," she said, still in shock as he hurried out the door.

Danny felt refreshed as he pushed open the building door and stepped into the desert heat. Throwing his jacket into the passenger seat, he loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves before climbing into his Camaro. He growled as his phone rang before he could turn on the ignition.

"This is Danny."


	2. the Coming Storm

Mary chewed on her thumb nervously as she sat on the edge of the bed while Paolo tried to continue nibbling on her ear. Finally sensing her anxiousness and his inevitable defeat, he sighed as he leaned back against the headboard.

"Mary," he said as his fingers grazed her back softly.

He was surprised when felt her body stiffen under his touch.

"I'm sorry, Paolo," she said emotionlessly with her back still turned to him. "But… I have… I have to take this call. I'm sorry."

Paolo frowned at her change in demeanor, but knew not to push her. He had learned early in their relationship not to ask too many questions, especially about her past. Not knowing what else to do, he rolled out of the bed and headed for the shower. Mary desperately reached out for him.

"Where are you going?" she asked as she squeezed his hand.

He turned to stare into her large pleading brown eyes and cupped her face with his free hand.

"I get the feeling you want to be alone, _amore_, so I'm going to hop in the shower and give you some privacy," he said as he stroked her chin with his thumb.

Mary closed her eyes.

"Are you leaving afterwards?"

"Unless you want me to stay," he said.

Mary paused. Unsure of the emotional toll this phone call may wreak on her, she decided it would be best for her and possibly their relationship if she were alone for a while.

"Will you meet me later for dinner?"

Hiding his disappointment that she was pushing him away, he squeezed her hand as kissed her forehead gently.

"Sure. Of course I will," he murmured. "Call me with a time and place when you want to go."

He kissed her hand and turned towards the bathroom. Watching Paolo's tanned, muscular physique, Mary smiled sadly until the bathroom door close; confused by the feelings the Paolo's kiss brought her. There was once a time when the gesture was familiar and brought instant comfort to her – but it was a different face, a different place, a different life. She chewed on her lip in frustration as a shiver went down her spine at the thought of the last time she felt that way from the simple act.

Once she head the shower turn on, she flopped back onto the bed, irritated with the questions swirling in her head about the call. She'd flown halfway across the world to get away from him, how could he possibly be still able to haunt her? Why couldn't she leave her old life behind?

"Are you still there?" she asked cautiously.

---

Danny shifted through the heavy, slow moving traffic on the Strip. He swallowed hard at the sound of the familiar voice. He could barely recall when the last time he spoke to the caller was. Then he thought sadly about all of the people he had lost touch with over the last few years and how he missed them. His thoughts fell to one person in particular. Sadness filled his heart, but the blare of a car horn brought him crashing back to reality.

"Hey… how are you?" he asked as he nervously raked his hand through his hair, trying desperately to sound composed and casual.

---

Sam stopped dead in her tracks and tightened her grip on Reggie's leash. Tourists grumbled their displeasure at the inconvenience of avoiding her. She ignored the man that had crashed into her back.

"How am I?" she screamed incredulously. "Are you serious? I can't believe this. This is how you start off a conversation with me when I haven't spoken to you in how long? How typically male."

---

"I'm fine, thanks," Mike said as he continued to salivate over his hot dog. "You know, I'm doing my thing here in New York… Replaced Al Roker when he retired from the Today Show… It's a great gig… My co-op is getting renovated and… uh… You know what, let's get down to it. What is going on? What's the emergency?"

---

"What? Huh? Nothing. I mean, uh…," Mitch said as he clicked away furiously on his keyboard. "Hey, hold on for a sec."

He quickly placed the call on hold at looked up at the older man hovering over him.

"Ed?"

"Yea, Mitch," the older man replied.

"They're all on the conference line."

Ed Deline nodded solemnly.

"They didn't sound too happy," Mitch added.

Ed frowned. He was expecting a little hostility, but was surprised that it was taken out on Mitch. He knew that he had not spoken with his surrogate children very much since they scattered to different lives in different places in the world, but had always known where they were and what they were doing. Surely, they knew that, didn't they?

"Mitch, would you mind if…"

"Hey, no problem, boss," Mitch said as he hastily rolled away from his desk. "Definitely, no problem. Have at 'em. Don't tell me that I didn't warn you. See you later. Bye."

"Thanks, Mitch," Ed said as he patted the younger man's shoulder. "For everything. And feel free to take a long lunch. You deserve it." Ed paused as he did a quick scan of the office. "Hey, before you go…"

Mitch skidded to a halt at the door.

"Yea, boss."

"Ah… Where do you keep a… Where's a… What did you do with… Um… Eh, never mind," Ed said, waving him off. "Have a nice lunch."

Mitch nodded and smiled wickedly at the owner of the Montecito.

"The desk chair I don't use because I don't need it is in the closet," he called out as he rolled away.

"Thanks," Ed called after him, and then muttered "smartass" as he crossed the office to retrieve the chair.

He sighed as he sat behind what had been his desk long ago. Ed smiled softly at the memories of being the Head of Security and Surveillance nearly a decade ago. He reflected quietly before the beep of the phone rang out to him. He took a deep breath before punching the flashing red light on the phone.

"Mary. Sam. Mike. Danny," Ed started. "I'm only going to say this once; then I expect to see all of your asses back here at the Montecito in two days."


	3. the Beginning of the End

Ed sighed as he rubbed his eyes. It was hard enough when he broke the news to his wife Jillian and daughter Delinda. He knew that telling four of his surrogate children was going to be just as difficult, if not harder. But then again, life hadn't been a bed of roses for Ed Deline lately. He thought back to the night five years ago that changed his life.

---

Danny secured his weapon and ran towards Mary. He caught her as she collapsed into his arms in tears. He fit her head neatly under his chin and held her closely.

Ed got out of the car solemnly. They had to move quickly before someone came out of the bar looking for the origin of the gunshots. He walked up to Danny and Mary quietly as Danny began to stroke her hair.

"Shh…" he whispered to her, "It'll be all right. It was self defense, Mare. No judge is going to deny that. He was evil… and vile… and he'll never hurt anyone ever again because of what you just did."

"What…?" she asked into his shoulder. "Danny… I didn't do it… I couldn't do it. I thought… I don't know what I thought. One second, I had the gun in my hand… pointed directly at him. I had my finger on the trigger… Then the next second, he was already on the ground… I never pulled the trigger… After everything that monster did to me and my sisters… I couldn't bring myself to do it… I just couldn't…"

She broke off into tears again. Danny held her tighter, but was perplexed. He didn't do it, he sure of that. He didn't have a clean shot; Mary had been partially blocking his line of fire. On alert and paranoid, he quickly scanned the parking lot for witnesses or possible suspects. His eyes fell on the lone figure making his way towards them.

"I did it," Ed said simply. "Now we gotta get the hell out of here."

"What the-"

Ed cut his protégé off, "Look kid, you can be as pissed off at me as you like and I'll be as pissed off at you as I like. You can ask me all of the questions you want later. And I'll be honest and answer them. But right now, we need to get Mary – and you – the hell out of here. Do you understand?"

"Just tell me why," Danny said, his temper rising. He turned Mary slightly away from Ed, as if to shield her from him. "This was none of your business."

Ed sighed. They didn't have time for this. This was definitely not the time or the place for the two men to come to blows.

"Look, I…" Ed started. "I read… I know what happened to Mary and to her sisters. And I wasn't going to let that sick bastard get away with it. Never again."

"It wasn't your job to protect her," Danny said through gritted teeth.

Ed looked the younger man in the eyes.

"It is my job to protect my family and the people I love," Ed said. "It's the same job as yours."

Ignoring the glare he was receiving from Danny, Ed turned his attention to the emotional redhead in Danny's arms and brushed a lock of hair from her face.

"Mary, sweetheart, are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded slowly.

"Do you think you can drive?"

She nodded slowly again.

"Okay. Good. Danny, Mary, give me your guns," he ordered. "Then I want you both to go back to Danny's condo and create an alibi. You both are going to be prime suspects and I'm not going to lose two of my best employees because of this. Make sure the story is air tight. No holes or gaps."

Danny conceded that Ed was right and nodded in agreement as he unhooked his gun from the holster and handed it to his mentor.

"I think Mary dropped the gun over there," he said.

Ed patted the young man's shoulder.

"Get outta here. We've wasted enough time just standing here. I'll take care of this. Don't worry about me," he commanded.

"Thanks, Ed," Danny mumbled. "Thanks for everything."

Ed nodded.

"Go. Now."

Danny wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led Mary back to her Yukon. After making sure she was safe and secure, he headed back to his Camaro and led the way back to his home.

Ed watched the tail lights of Mary's vehicle leave the parking lot before he walked over and picked up the gun where she had dropped it. He quickly got back into his Aston and sped into the night. He had to dispose of three guns before meeting with Jillian again to save their marriage.

---

The next day, Mary knocked quietly on Ed's office door.

"Come in," he demanded.

"Ed…" she said cautiously as she entered his office.

"Mary, sweetheart," Ed said as he coaxed her in. "Come on in. Have a seat."

The redhead sat on the couch stiffly.

"How can I help you?" he asked.

"I just… I want to thank you for what you've done," she started.

Ed opened his mouth to speak.

"Not just last night. But for all of the opportunities you've given me."

"You deserve all that," Ed said.

"Ed, I'd like to take a sabbatical."

---

"Ed?" Mary hedged carefully. "Are you still there?"

Ed sighed at the reality and gravity of what he had to say to the four people on the line with him.

"Yea…" he said. "I'm here. Are all of you?"

"Yea, I think so," she said. "Sam?"

"Still here," the brunette peeped in. "So's Reggie. Mike?"

"I'mf fhere," Mike choked out. After swallowing the first delicious bite of his lunch, he tried again. "I mean, I'm here. Danny?"

"Present," he said. "What's going on, Ed?"

Ed licked his lips and swallowed, "They found Nessa."


	4. the Hardest Part

There was a collective sigh of relief. Mary reached for a cigarette as Sam guided Reggie around to head home. While Danny pulled into the parking lot of his condominium, Mike began to bring his lunch to his lips again, but thought better of it.

"My God, Ed," he screamed as he leaned back into the park bench, startling the birds and squirrels that had gathered around him. "I mean, you don't call. You don't write. It's like we all left the Montecito and you forgot all about us. Except for the occasional Christmas card from Jillian, I'd think you didn't even care anymore. Then you have Mitch call me – or I guess, us – out of the blue after nearly five years of silence for some unknown reason. I thought you were going to tell us that you were dying or something! I mean seriously, Ed. What the hell is up with this? You just cannot keep scaring a brother like that. It's not cool."

"Now don't get your panties in a bunch," Ed started to defend his actions.

"Forget about him," Sam cut in impatiently as she weaved through pedestrians. "Now that Mike has finished freaking out on all of us, let's get back to the topic in hand. Where is she? How is she? Why hadn't she called any of us? Well… I mean. You know. With all of us scattered around the world, it would be difficult, but Mary and I are… um… anyway, she could have at least-"

"Samantha Jane," Ed barked, exasperated. "You're beginning to sound like Mike. Stop it. Please. If you all would just calm down and shut up, I can explain everything. So please just calm down and shut the hell up. And also, what the hell has happened to the two of you? Have you always been so damn chatty?"

"I am not chatty," Sam bristled, causing a roar of laughter to erupt between the old comrades. "I'm not," she huffed.

When the laughter subsided, Ed continued, "Now, as you all know, years ago, Nessa had left all of us to spend time with her family in England."

There was a murmur of agreement as Ed debated how to proceed. This was the hardest part. A silence that seemed to last an eternity was broken when Danny, finally unable to contain his emotions any longer, spoke up.

"She's dead," Danny said flatly. "Nessa's dead."

Mary let out a small cry of surprise while Mike closed his eyes as his lunch dropped from his hand, much to the park critters delight.

"She's what? Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait. How do you know that?" Sam demanded as she jammed her key into the door of her penthouse. "You don't know that. How would you know that? What are you – the CIA? Did you join the Secret Service? You don't know that. You can't know that. There's no way. There is absolutely no way…"

"Delinda called me earlier," Danny said softly. "She called me as soon as Ed told her and Jillian. The funeral is in three days."

The unlit cigarette dropped from Mary's fingers at the sound of Delinda's name from her oldest friend and former lover's lips. A wave of mixed emotions washed over her, making it even more difficult for her to concentrate.

"It's not true is it, Ed?" Sam whispered.

Ed sighed.

"Unfortunately… yes. It is. Danny's right... Nessa's… dead. I know how… close… we all once were," Ed murmured. "So I am… requesting… that you all come to Vegas attend the funeral. Please."

Silence fell over the line as everyone contemplated the news when Danny cut the tension again.

"You know I'll be there, Ed."

"Yea, me too, Ed," Mike chimed in.

"I'll rearrange some whales. I'll be there," Sam said.

"Mary?" Ed asked quietly.

Mary jumped at the sound of the Ed's voice as she heard the shower turn off.

"Um…" she started anxiously.

"She'll be there," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "I'll make sure of it."

"Yea. I mean, of course I'll be there," Mary said quickly.

"Ok, then. I'll have Mitch set you all up with some rooms," Ed said. "On the house, of course."

"Thanks, Ed," Mary, Sam, Mike, and Danny said in unison.

"Just give Mitch your travel information when you get it set up and uh… Jillian and Delinda and I will see you all in a few days," Ed continued.

The four old friends agreed and said their good-byes before hanging up.

---

"Is everything all right?" Paolo asked, letting steam out as he opened the bathroom door.

"Um… yea," Mary said as she got up from the bed.

Paolo swiped at the moisture on the mirror as she kissed the back of his neck and hugged him.

"I have to go on a trip for a couple of days."

"With Sam?" he asked.

"Yea."

Paolo nodded, "Are you going to be in Cannes? Or Nice? Or is my little adventurer going to go somewhere different?"

"Neither," Mary took a deep breath. "We'll be in Vegas."

"Vegas? Aren't you from…? I thought you said…"

"I know," Mary sighed. "But an old friend… passed away."

Mary cringed at the euphemism.

"I see… Do you…" Paolo started cautiously. "Would you like me to come with you?"

"No," Mary said quickly. "No. I'll be fine," she said firmly.

Paolo nodded solemnly, "When are you leaving?"

"I'm not sure. Sam will probably call any second now to set everything up if she hasn't already," she said anxiously.

Paolo felt her heart beat rapidly against his back. He smiled softly as he turned around and rest his forehead against hers.

"You'll be back soon, right?"

"Absolutely," Mary smiled nervously before kissing the tip of his nose. "Get dressed," she tried to tease casually as she unhooked the towel around his waist. "I'm starving." 

Paolo swatted her rear with the towel as she left the room, closing the door behind her. Suddenly engulfed with silence, Mary couldn't help but confront her thoughts and feelings on the events unfolding before her and the past she was still running from.

---

Danny unlocked the door of his condo.

"Delinda?" he called out as he loosened his tie and began to flip through the mail on the counter.

Relief flooded over him at the silence that filled his home. He jumped as his phone vibrated in his pocket.

_Spending time with mom. Be back in the morning. Love, D_

He turned to the woman standing by the front door.

"Come on in," he smiled. "Make yourself at home."


	5. the Last Time They Met

Still in a state of shock, Mary stood in the hallway outside Danny's condo. It was odd, the things she could recollect at the moment. She could vaguely remember being escorting back to her SUV and following Danny back here, but was able to vividly recall the feeling of Danny's strong arms wrapped around her, whispering words of encouragement and comfort into her ear. But then the image of her father's expression as he fell to the ground lifeless flashed before her eyes. She shuddered violently at the memory.

"Come on in, Mare," Danny smiled, coaxing her towards him at the kitchen counter. "I think Ed has just orchestrated it so Delinda's going to be staying with them tonight, so it looks like you're going to be stuck here alone with me."

Mary continued to stand dumbfounded.

"If that's all right with you," Danny added quickly when he couldn't decipher the look on her face.

"No. It's fine. I don't mind," Mary mumbled as she took tentative steps inside the condo her oldest friend now shared with his girlfriend. "It's fine. Everything's fine… Everything's okay…" she continued to whisper to herself.

As she entered the kitchen area, she eyed the condo suspiciously, noticing the glaring contrast between her own Pottery Barn sensibility and Delinda's stark modern contemporary look. Glancing around the room, Mary frowned at the realization that Danny's own home showed no evidence of his existence. She suddenly felt uncomfortable and cold in the sterile environment, wishing greatly that they had gone back to her place instead. She grimaced at the uncomfortable looking couch as Danny broke into her thoughts.

"You look like you need a drink," Danny said as he placed a glass of water on the counter.

"Jack. Straight," Mary said flatly as she took a seat at the breakfast bar.

Mary's quick response caught Danny off guard. He had never known her to be a fan of the Tennessee whiskey, but opened the liquor cabinet door anyway.

"Are you sure?" he asked her as he reached for the bottle and two shot glasses.

She nodded as he slowed unscrewed the bottle.

"So what do you think of the place?" Danny asked.

Mary wrinkled her nose slightly as she shrugged, "It's nice."

Danny looked at her slightly wounded.

"It's got a great view," she continued before an awkward silence suddenly fell over them.

"Hey, do you remember what happened when we snuck into my dad's cabinet and drank that bottle of Schnapps right before the Duran Duran concert?" Danny blurted, trying to ease the tension.

Mary smiled and nodded sadly at the memory. Even with the pain being inflicted upon her by her father, she had never been happier than when she was with Danny. It had hurt her greatly to give the ring back to him, but she knew it would have been worse to know that she had trapped him into a marriage with her.

The friends were silent as Danny poured the amber liquid into the glasses. Mary wordlessly clinked her glass against Danny's and downed her shot before he had a chance to bring the glass to his lips.

"Ugh," she said as she nudged her glass back towards him.

Danny laughed softly as she scrunched her face at the burn of the alcohol running down her throat.

"Fill 'er up, bartender," she coughed.

Danny paused with his shot still in midair, unsure whether or not she was serious.

"Seriously? Mary…" Danny started.

She looked at him with tears brimming, the events of the evening finally sinking into her psyche.

"What, Danny?"

He sighed. He had no right to lecture her, he thought. Besides, he could use a drink, too. He made a mental note to give her the name of his psychiatrist to deal with her post-traumatic stress. Realizing that he had also sent Delinda to the same doctor, he decided to call for a referral instead.

"Nothing," he said as he placed his shot on the counter and filled her glass again. "It's just… do you want to talk? About what happened tonight?"

Mary snorted before laying her head on the counter, a few tears sliding down her cheek as she blinked rapidly.

"Nope. I just want to forget it, if you don't mind. I don't want to think about it anymore. I'll be fine, thank you," she said as she reached for her drink.

"Mary, we're going to need to talk about it eventually tonight. We have to come up with an alibi, you know. The police may be here any second," Danny reminded her as he screwed the cap back onto the bottle.

Mary sat up angrily as she glared at Danny.

"I know, Danny," she spat. "I know we have to come up with this elaborate, but not too specific alibi to cover our asses for something neither of us did – something that I never asked Ed – or you – to do. But I just don't want to deal with this right now. I don't want to think anymore. Not now. I just want to drink and forget all of this happened. I want to forget everything that's ever happened in my life…"

She paused as she gulped her shot, then reached across the counter and took Danny's.

"You need to catch up, McCoy," she slurred slightly as she took the bottle from Danny's hands.

She slowly got up from the counter and walked towards his windows and the view of the Strip. Danny watched in awe as the redhead crossed the room.

He knew that the dynamics between them had changed since she had ended their engagement. There were times when he felt as though he didn't even know his first love anymore. But he did know that he had pushed her away many times before, his unwillingness to let any female come close to him after the death of his mother was a constant wedge between them. He knew that he could share his hopes and dreams with her and that she would never judge him when he failed. She was his savior, his constant, his love. But he had had enough of her sudden strong willed, stubborn attitude.

"Look," Danny said crossly. "I know that you're angry and confused right now."

"Angry and confused?" Mary scoffed as she continued to stare into the night.

"Yes. Angry and confused," Danny repeated as he crossed the room to join her at the window.

"And what am I 'angry and confused' about, Danny?" she said sarcastically before taking a sip directly from the bottle.

Danny quickly whirled her around to face him, sending the bottle crashing to the floor.

"I don't know," Danny said as he gripped her arms. "But you're starting to piss me off."

"I'm starting to piss you off?" Mary said acidly, fire burning in her eyes.

"Yea, you are. You and your 'all high and mighty'" act. You act like… Ever since Delinda and I… I'm tired of being on the pedestal, Mary. I'm still getting nosebleeds."

Mary stared at Danny.

"I took you off that pedestal a long time ago, Danny McCoy," she said through gritted teeth.

Danny winced slightly at the statement.

"Did you really think that I would still pine after you after the way you've treated me?" she continued as she pushed herself away from him. "I was the last to know! You and Delinda ran around having your fun while Sam and Mike and all of the Montecito snickered behind my back."

"We didn't tell you because-"

"Because of what, Danny?" Mary cut him off. "Because you two were trying to spare 'Little Miss Sunshine's' feelings? Did the two of you have a great laugh when she told you that all I could see was your face when Jake proposed to me?"

"Stop it, Mary," Danny said quietly.

"Well? Did you?" she asked again as she crossed her arms.

Danny ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"No," he whispered.

Mary snorted again as she pushed past him.

"Yea, right," she said before plopping onto Danny's couch.

"No, we didn't, Mary," Danny said as he rubbed his neck. With his back facing her, he said, "Because I didn't know until you just told me right now."

Mary's drew in a sharp breath, "What?"

"I had… no idea… until now," Danny said.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she moaned as held her head in her hands.

Danny turned and crouched down in front of her. He gently brushed the hair from her face as he realized that she was quietly sobbing.

"Hey," he murmured as he lifted her chin. "You really saw my face?"

Mary pursed her lips as he cupped her cheek.

"I've said far too much tonight, Danny," she said as she shook her head and tried to disengage from him.

"Mary…" Danny whispered as he leaned in closer.

She closed her eyes and let her body relax as she felt his lips on hers. It was the one of the last things she remembered before waking up in his bed the next morning.


	6. the Morning After

Mike tapped his foot impatiently as he checked his watch for the twentieth time. _Where is he_, he thought, annoyed at his best friend. He pulled his phone out of his suit and dialed Danny's number again. He knew that his friend wasn't the most punctual person on the planet, but he was never more than a few minutes late.

"Hi, you've reached Danny…"

Mike growled as he listened to Danny's voicemail greeting for the twelfth time in a row.

"Danny. It's Mike," he fumed. "Again. Where the hell are you, man? Call me. Now." Mike paused, suddenly worried. "At least let me know that you're okay."

Mike snapped his phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket. Shaking his head half in disappointment and half in concern, Mike left the early morning desert heat behind and strolled into the Montecito Resort and Casino.

---

Danny grimaced as he opened one eye cautiously. Dazed and disoriented, he tried to clear the fog enveloping his mind as he pondered where he was. Bright sunlight and a view of the Strip assaulted his senses from the open window. Slowly opening his other eye, he blinked rapidly as he focused on the plain, nondescript white ceiling. _Vegas, of course_, he thought ruefully, _where else could I possibly be?_

Danny gingerly tried to raise his head from his pillow, but the massive pounding in his head made him abandon the effort. Laying his head gently back onto the fluffy pillow, he desperately grasped for any memories from the previous evening. The only two things he was certain of were that a copious amount of Jack Daniels was involved and that there was only one other time he woke up with such a wicked hangover and hazy memory.

_No more Jack_, Danny thought as he attempted to rub the sleep and pain from his eyes. _Jack is definitely not my friend anymore_. He laid in bed quietly before quickly running his tongue over his teeth. Ignoring the jackhammer in his skull, Danny couldn't overlook the dirty, fuzzy feeling in his mouth. As much as he would enjoy spending the day in bed nursing the nasty hangover, he had errands to run and obligations to fulfill.

He slowly turned his head to glance at the bedside clock. Nine o'clock. Great. He was already an hour late. What's another half hour? As he tried to muster enough energy to get out of bed, he become suddenly aware that something warm and soft was lying on his left arm. Confused, he rolled over to see what had pinned him down.

His eyes widened at the sight of the woman curled next to him in the large king sized bed. His heart rate quickened as last nights' activities came furiously rushing back to him.

Amber liquid flowed freely and frequently. The smell of her hair. Old wounds reopened. Her voice husky from unshed tears. Thoughts better left unspoken voiced. Lips meeting again. Clothes removed with furious passion.

He warily raised the bed sheet covering him and groaned as his confirmed what he had already gathered from his spotty recollection. He closed his eyes as bile rise in his throat and a mix of emotions washed over him. Guilt. Shame. Anguish. Nausea.

_How could I let this happen_, Danny wondered as he carefully slid his arm from underneath the woman.

He kicked his legs from the covers and swung them over the edge of the bed. He took a deep breath as he cradled his head in his hands. As quietly as he could, Danny got out of bed and surveyed the scene from the foot of the bed.

She looked angelic, asleep in the middle of the bed with chaos surrounding her. Her bra on the lamp shade. Her skirt haphazardly thrown on top of the dresser. Her shirt tossed onto the floor by the door. His clothes flung around the room in a similar manner.

Danny licked his lips and scratched the back of his head before turning towards the bathroom. He squinted as the bright vanity lights flooded the small space. He took a critical look of himself as he waited for the sink to fill with cool water. The unforgiving beam accentuated the fine lines that had recently appeared on his still somewhat boyish face. 

Danny groaned as he noticed the past year had finally caught up with him. Shaking his head and frowning, he reached for his razor. He had to get out of here and clear his head as soon as possible. 

He despised himself for his actions last night. _I took advantage of her_, he thought menacingly as he lathered shaving gel on his beard. _She was upset and turned to me for comfort. And this is what happens. What a great friend I am._

Danny took a deep breath before taking a stroke with his razor. He resolved to talk to her later, but he was already running behind schedule. He hated to leave behind a note, except he had to resolve what happened between them as soon as possible to mend the frayed edges of their already frail friendship.

---

Mary awoke with a start. _Alone again_, she thought as she stretched lazily in bed. Her arm brushed lightly against the vacant spot next to her, still slightly warm. She smiled at the memory of last night. Covering her naked torso with the bed sheet, she sat up and watched as the sunlight crept in through the window. Hearing the shower start, Mary wrapped the sheet around her and crept into the kitchen. She knew that he would appreciate a warm meal after their strenuous work out in the bedroom.

She quietly opened the refrigerator door and scrutinized its contents. _Not much to work with_, Mary smirked as she poked through half eaten take out containers and beer bottles. Finally finding butter, eggs, cartons of fresh milk and orange juice, and non-moldy bread, Mary set the ingredients on the counter to search for a bowl and a pan.

She calmly beat the eggs and added some milk to the bowl. Adding a pat of butter to the pan, she turned the stove on medium heat. She knew that he would be done with the shower soon and wanted desperately to surprise him with breakfast in bed.

Digging in the refrigerator again, she unearthed an opened package of bacon. _Perfect_, she thought as she scavenged for another pan.

---

Feeling cleansed and somewhat refreshed, Danny exited the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. To his shock and astonishment, the woman was sitting in bed, with French toast and bacon and a glass of orange juice.

"Good morning, handsome," she smiled as she brushed her blonde hair from her face and cut into her breakfast. "I hope you don't mind that I called room service. I was starving."


	7. the Rude Awakening

"You know, this is definitely one thing I miss about this place," Mike grinned as he and Danny ate brunch inside a VIP poolside cabana. "Eating outside by the pool with the fresh air, the blue sky, warm sun." Mike paused, "And all of the fine ladies in their itty bitty bikinis."

Danny sat back to absorb the scenery. "I will have to agree with you there, my friend," he smiled as they clinked glasses. "Definitely…"

"So, what happened last night?" Mike asked after a moment as they cut into their pancakes.

"What do you mean?" Danny asked calmly, as he reached for his Bloody Mary.

Mike rolled his eyes at his friend. "Please. Don't act so coy. What do you mean 'what do I mean?' You know exactly what I mean, man."

"No, I don't," Danny tried to remain cool as he placed the empty glass on the table.

"Right. So you have no recollection of going out with Mitch, Delinda, and me last night."

Danny shuddered subtly. He remembered bits and pieces of the evening, but mostly this morning, waking up next to the blonde and the awkwardness he felt towards her. Danny bit his lip. He had stayed away from Las Vegas for the past three years, except for business and always careful to avoid Delines – afraid to be sucked back into his old life, an incomplete one. In one night, all of his cautiousness was for not. Danny shook his head in disgust.

"Earth to Danny," Mike said as he snapped his fingers in his friend's face. "Danny. Where you at?" he asked.

"Huh?" Danny asked, breaking away from his thoughts.

"I asked what happened to you and Delinda last night," Mike said as he popped a piece of fruit into his mouth. "One second we're all hanging out at Pure having a good time, then I go to get drinks and the two of you had split, leaving me and Mitch with a fat bar tab I might add."

"Oh. Sorry about that," Danny said. "How much was it? I'll hit you back now…" he said as he reached for his wallet, trying desperately to avoid Mike's inquisition.

"No, no," Mike smirked. "You can hit me back later. I want to know what happened to you last night. You. And Delinda."

"Umm…" Danny stalled. He looked away from his friend's knowing glare and towards the scantily clad women wandering past their open cabana.

"Umm…" Mike repeated. "Umm? Danny McCoy, please tell me that the two of you didn't…"

"Umm…" Danny hesitated again.

"My God, you did." Mike flopped back in his seat and groaned. "Danny, Danny, Danny… Why?"

Danny sighed. "I don't know, Mikey."

"Do you still love her?" Mike asked gently.

"No," Danny said quickly. "No. No. No. That chapter in my life is over. Dead in the desert. It was just a lapse in judgment. A mistake."

"Really?" Mike asked skeptically. "Does Delinda know you feel that way?"

Danny frowned, "No. Not exactly."

"Did you plan on avoiding her for the next three days or something?" Mike snickered.

"Her and the rest of the Delines," Danny admitted sheepishly.

Mike laughed out loud. "You know that's not going to happen. Especially since we have a tee time with Ed in," Mike quickly checked his watch. "Two hours," he finished.

"I know," Danny agreed. "Ed is going to kill me."

"Yes," Mike nodded. "Not to mention Jillian. And Delinda. And Bette. And Sam…" Mike rolled through names.

"I know, Mike! What a mess," Danny moaned. "It's like I never left this damn place."

Mike smiled sympathetically. "Okay, so you don't love Delinda but slept with her last night." Danny glared at Mike. "Brother, you know this smacks of five years ago. How do you feel about Mary?" Mike continued cautiously as he sipped his orange juice. "Do you love her as a friend or more?"

Danny groaned.

Mike rolled his eyes again. "Danny, it's been five years. She's going to be here, in this hotel again any moment now. Shit or get off the pot."

"Look," Danny started angrily. "She left me."

"Can you really blame her?"

Danny paused. "No," he said softly. "But I thought she would wait for me."

"You mean like she always has? That wasn't her job."

"But I asked her to."

"You were with Delinda then, remember?"

"Yea. But then why did she leave without saying good bye?"

"You'll have to ask her."

Danny scoffed. "Yea, like she'll give me a straight answer."

Mike frowned at his friend. "Look, I know you're still hurt right now, but this doesn't change the fact that in five years, you're more or less back where you started. Sleeping with one that you don't love and longing for the one you do – whether or not you'll admit it."

"First of all, I'm not 'sleeping with' Delinda. I only 'slept with.' Singular. One time. Never again. Second, I know," Danny agreed. "But-"

"Incoming," Mike cut in.

"What?" Danny asked as he turned his head towards the entrance of the tent.

"Morning, sunshines," Delinda beamed as she entered the tent.

Mike shifted uncomfortably as Delinda squeezed herself onto Danny's lap and encircled her arms around his neck.

"What are you boys conspiring about?" she asked.

Mike cleared his throat, "Uhh… Nothing. Just sports talk."

Delinda shrugged him off and focused her attention on Danny.

"I had a great time last night," she purred into his ear.

Danny swallowed. "Yea," he said. "We should all go out again sometime."

"Let's leave the others behind next time," Delinda murmured as nuzzled his neck.

Danny cleared his throat as he gently tried to put some distance between them. "Delinda, about last night…"

"Is that Derek?" Mike asked suddenly.

"Is that who?" Delinda asked annoyed by the interruption.

"Derek. Over there," Mike pointed to the tall dark haired man hugging a woman in a black sheath dress.

Delinda squinted at the pair across the pool.

"He looks awfully happy to see her," she muttered, wondering who the mystery woman he was now holding hands with as they conversed face to face was. "She looks very chic," she commented on the woman's attire. "Simple elegance. Black dress, Jimmy Choos, oversized sunglasses…" she whispered to herself, sizing up her competition. "Prada bag. Very sleek haircut."

Danny looked across the table at Mike, both noticing the jealousy in Delinda's voice.

"Do you know who that is?" Danny asked hesitantly.

Delinda's eyes narrowed. "Nope. But I'm going to find out," she said as she sashayed out of the cabana. "I'll see you and Mom and Daddy's tonight," she called out absently, leaving them alone again to stalk her prey.

"Nice to see that she's still fickle," Mike couldn't help but blurt out. "You may be off the hook."

Danny gave a small laugh. "Yea, we'll see how long the woman keeps Delinda interested in Derek. I may be off for the afternoon."

After a moment, Mike whispered to Danny, "Who do you think that chick is?"

"I don't know," Danny whispered back, "But I hope she's a fighter. I'd love to see a chick fight in the pool."

"Good call…"

"We might need some popcorn…"

"And some beers," Mike added.

"Hey, bozos."

"Sam!" Mike exclaimed as the petite brunette walked in.

"What are you horn dogs staring at?" she asked as she hugged both men.

"Delinda," Mike simply answered as he retook his seat.

Sam squinted her eyes as she scanned the scene.

"Ahh…" she murmured. "I see…"

"Do you know who that is?" Danny asked.

"Oh yes…" she said softly. "I do…"

"Well, are you going to tell us?" Danny asked impatiently.

"That's Derek," she smirked.

Danny rolled his eyes. "We've already figured that out," he said sarcastically. "We meant the woman."

Sam turned and smiled wickedly at him. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Danny made a face at her. "Duh, or else I wouldn't have asked."

"Just wait," she smiled. "All good things come to those who wait."

They watched in silence as Delinda walked up to Derek and tapped him on the shoulder. Derek released the woman's hand to hug Delinda. The woman smiled as she took a step back from them. She continued to smile as Delinda glared at her over Derek's shoulder. The woman gently touched Derek's back, causing him to release Delinda, much to her chagrin. Derek turned to hug the woman. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before she offered her hand to Delinda, who refused. She instead gave a little wave of good bye to the woman, who shrugged it off and headed towards an empty cabana and closed the flaps.

"Very smooth," Sam murmured as her phone buzzed inside her hand. She quickly flipped it open. A slow smile spread across her face as she read the message. "Well, fellas. How much longer are you going to be here?"

"As long as you are," Danny said sarcastically. "For the next three days."

"Meow, pussy cat," Sam grinned. "Retract those claws."

"So, Sam," Mike started. "Are you going to tell us who that woman was?"

Sam smirked as the woman's cabana flaps reopened. "See for yourself if you recognize her," she said.

Mike and Danny drew in the breaths at the sight of the woman in a simple two piece black bikini. Her strawberry blonde hair now twisted up with a clip, her sunglasses perched atop her head. Delinda stopped mid-sentence in her conversation with Derek as she now recognized the woman. Mike let out a slow, appreciative whistle as Danny furrowed his brows, still holding his breath.

"Gentlemen, it's been fun," Sam said as she breezed out of their tent and towards the woman. "See you around."

"Holy… crap…" Mike breathed.

"Shut your mouth," Danny warned as he watched Sam hug the woman before they both retreated into their cabana.

"Did you not-?"

"Shut your mouth," Danny repeated as the cabana flaps closed again.

"Are you going to-?"

"Working on it," Danny said as he racked his brain for a plan to talk to the woman.

"Can't you just use your old charm on her?"

Danny finally turned back towards his friend. "You do realize who that was, right? My old charm is probably not going to work on her."

Mike shrugged, "Duh. That was Mary."


	8. the Day She Left

"So… got any ideas yet?" Mike asked as he slowly chewed on a toothpick and checked his watch again.

"Nope," Danny admitted as he watched Mary lay out on a chaise lounge in the hot Nevada sun. He felt an odd sense of hope grow with each dismissive flick of her wrist at the men drooling and fawning over her.

"You know we have to leave in less than an hour to catch that tee time with Ed, right?" Mike reminded him.

"Yea, I know, Mikey," Danny replied irritably. "But I mean look. Look at her. It's not like I can just walk up to her."

"Why not?" Mike smiled as he shook his head and flicked the toothpick onto his empty plate. He calmly stood up and stretched. "I am."

"No, you're not," Danny said as he threw a napkin at his friend.

"Why not?" Mike asked again as he threw the napkin back at his friend. "Man, tell me you are not intimidated by her new look. Do you really think that just because she's changed her hair and clothes mean that she's no longer the same Mary? Because trust me, she is the same Mary. Five years has not changed her. "

"How would you know?" Danny grimaced, placing the soiled cloth back onto the table.

"Because I saw her and Sam last…"

Danny's head snapped up. "You saw her and Sam where, Mike?"

"Uh…" Mike stammered.

"Mike…" Danny warned. "Is there something you've been holding out on me? Would you like to confess your sins now?"

"I mean… the haircut and clothes are new, but…" Mike continued to fumble.

"Mike…" Danny said as he stood from his seat. "You know, for – what I've been told – a very popular television personality, you've seemed to suddenly lose your ability for eloquent speech."

"Well, I saw them… while I was… we were… I gotta go," Mike squeaked as he ran out of the cabana before Danny could interrogate him any longer.

"You suck," Danny called out to Mike's retreating back. "Coward."

"Look who's talking," Mike taunted back. He turned and grinned at his best friend as he trekked towards the opposite side of the pool.

"Shit," muttered Danny as he hung his head in defeat and followed him.

--

Mary cautiously opened her eyes. _What am I doing here,_ she wondered as the desert sun warmed her body. She shook the cobwebs from her weary thoughts and became acutely aware of a presence next to her. She cautiously turned her head and was greeted by a familiar face.

Danny. Her Danny.

Mary felt her heart swell with love as she watched him sleeping peacefully on his side in the early morning light. _Is this a dream, _she fretted.She reached out and softly stroked his cheek just to make sure. She smiled as his lips curled into a slight smile at her touch. Her hand travelled down to his bare chest and traced his tattoo. She sighed softly. This was the way things should be, the way things should have always been and would always be forever – waking up every morning next to him, happy and in love in their home.

Except things were not that way.

Tears prickled Mary's eyes as she slowly moved her hand from his torso and played gently with his hair. He was with Delinda, not her. Even though he murmured into her ear all night as they made love that he loved her, not Delinda, he was still not with her. Mary shuddered at the realization that she was laying in the same bed with him that he shares with her once close friend. He was Delinda's, not hers. A tear broke free with a wave of nausea as Mary realized the simple truth.

She didn't belong here. This was not her fairy tale; it was someone else's where she had become the wicked witch enticing Prince Charming.

Mary kissed Danny lightly on his forehead before sliding out of bed. She quietly gathered her clothes before locking herself in the bathroom. Turning the light on, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and looked disgustedly at her own image. _Harlot_, she thought to herself. _Sleeping with your friend's boyfriend – you're no better than she is. What were you thinking? He'll never leave her. Not now. Not since she's… _Mary's heart sank as she remembered Delinda's secret confession in the women's bathroom. _He especially won't leave her now. _

Mary sobbed quietly as she quickly splashed water on her face. She carefully wiped her tear and mascara stained cheek and took a deep breath. As much as it pained her, she realized that this was the day. It was time for a change, she decided as she redressed herself in her day old clothes.

But as Mary opened the bathroom door, she felt her resolve slip. The sight of Danny still sleeping soundly in bed made Mary want to tear her clothes off and crawl back under the covers with him again – to hell with Delinda, the rest of the Delines, and everyone else. This was where she was happiest. This was where she had always been happiest, and probably always will be. It would take every shred of her willpower to leave. She sighed and took one last look at Danny before heading for the front door. This was the way it was going to have to be.

--

Danny reached out to the still warm, but vacant space next to him in the spacious king sized bed. His eyes flew open at the sound of the front door clicking closed. He stared at the empty space next to him. He wondered why she left in such a hurry this early in the morning. Then he remembered: Delinda. He rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. What had he gotten himself into? How did he end up with a sterilely decorated million dollar loft in the middle of the Strip when what he really wanted was a homey two story house with a lawn and white picket fence in a quiet neighborhood? Annoyed and unable to fall back asleep, he kicked off the covers and headed towards the shower.

He flipped the light on and noticed a small piece of black lace on the tile. Danny smiled. _Mary must have left behind her underwear on accident – the perfect excuse to drop in and see her before heading in for work, _Danny thought. Feeling his mood lighten, he hurriedly showered and dressed for work. Today was the day, he decided. It was the day he was going to make a change and do what his heart had told him to do since he was two years old – to hell with Ed, the rest of the Delines, and everyone else. He was going to knock on her door and he was going to be her knight in shining armor, whether or not she wanted it.

He quickly stripped the bed and straightened the loft before enjoying a bagel and a cup of coffee while he read the newspaper. He heard the front door unlock and smiled tightly as he secretly cringed internally.

"Good morning, tiger," Delinda purred as she glided across the room to him.

Danny looked up from the paper long enough to acknowledge her presence. Slightly miffed, Delinda snatched the bagel from his hand and took a bite.

"Mm…" she said as she chewed. "How did you know I was hungry?"

Danny looked at her in incredulously as she polished off his breakfast and gulped the rest of his coffee.

"What?" she asked innocently as she licked cream cheese from her fingers.

He merely shook his head as he got up to answer the knock at the door. His heart stopped as he looked through the peephole at the figure standing on the other side.

--

Mary held her breath as she quietly knocked on the door again.

"Come in," he finally called out.

She let out a sigh. This was it, now or never – and never was not an option at the moment.

"Ed…" she smiled cautiously as she entered his office, freshly showered with her hair pinned into a chic chignon and attired in a clean crisp white button blouse and gray slacks and red pumps.

Ed quickly got up from behind his desk. "Mary, sweetheart," he said as he coaxed her in. "Come on in. Have a seat." He gestured to the couch in front of the view of the Strip.

Mary headed towards the tan leather couch. _I'm going to do it,_ she thought. _Be strong._

"How can I help you?" Ed asked as he sat next to her, his voice broke through her thoughts, causing Mary to jump slightly.

She looked at the older man that she considered to be her second father – Larry always being her father in her heart, her own father only being the man who brought her into existence, but not life.

"I just… I want to thank you for what you've done," she started slowly.

Ed smiled at his surrogate daughter. Didn't she know that she was family to him? And that he would do anything to protect his family? He opened his mouth to speak, but Mary continued with her voice full of emotion.

"Not just last night. But for all of the opportunities you've given me."

"You deserve all that," Ed said as he reached over and patted her knee.

Mary closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Like a bandage,_ she thought. _Just do it._

"Ed, I'd like to take a sabbatical," she blurted.

Ed caught his breath. "Of course, dear," he agreed. "You deserve some time away. With your dad and work… How long do you think you want to be away? A month?"

Mary fidgeted uncomfortably on the couch. "I was thinking about more like a year."

Ed widened his eyes slightly. "A year?"

Mary nodded, "At least."

"Is there something wrong?" Ed asked gently. "I mean, besides what happened last night."

Mary felt the red blush of embarrassment creep across her cheeks as she recalled where she had woken up that morning. "No, no…" she shook her head. "Nothing else," she tried to say convincingly as Ed carefully watched her.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," she forcefully smiled. "One hundred percent."

Ed continued to watch her suspiciously. "When would you leave?" he finally asked.

"Tonight."

Ed sighed as he leaned back on the couch. He didn't have time to hire someone to replace Mary for a year. But he could tell from the gleam in her eyes that she was going to leave whether or not her approved her sabbatical.

"Can I make you an offer?" Ed asked. "A deal, perhaps?"

Mary swallowed, apprehensive of what Ed Deline might offer. "Absolutely…"

"I have no one to replace you while you're gone," Ed said simply.

Mary nodded slowly, feeling her heart break into pieces at the thought of being in the same country as Delinda's belly grew, much less the same building.

"So what I propose is this. Why don't I send you to the Montecito in Hawaii for a couple of months, have you train the assistant manager there so he can take over for you for a little bit, then you can go on your sabbatical?" he negotiated.

Mary's heart and spirits lifted. She leapt across the couch and hugged the older man. "Thank you, Ed," she said as she kissed him on the cheek.

Ed was taken aback from the burst of emotion from the redhead. He patted her back as she squeezed him. "You're welcome, sweetheart. Have my assistant book your flight, then go up and pack your bags, get your personal affairs in order... I'll let the staff know."

Mary quickly released him as though he burned her. "Um…"

Ed looked at Mary quizzically. "What is it? What's the matter?"

"I… I just…" she fumbled as she wrung her hands. Then she shook her head. "No, that's fine. Never mind."

Ed furrowed his brows.

"No, really. It's fine," she asserted. "Thank you, Ed."

Ed nodded. "Okay then," he said as he got up from the couch. He offered his hand to Mary. "If you ever need to talk or need help, my door is open to you," he said as he gave the redhead a final hug.

"I know," Mary said as he released him. "I'll be in touch."

Ed watched as she crossed the room and left. He felt a tightening in his chest with the sinking feeling that it was going to be a long time before he would see or hear from her again.

--

"Lieutenant McCoy?" the young Marine asked as Danny opened the door.

Danny slowly returned the soldier's salute. "At ease," he said cautiously. Danny glanced down either side of the hallway. "What's going on?"

The soldier quietly handed Danny an envelope. "I have new orders for you."

"You what?" Danny asked incredulously as he tore open the envelope. "There's no way…"

Danny absentmindedly dismissed the man as he stared at the letter in disbelief.

"What's the matter?" Delinda called from the table.

Danny slowly turned and looked at her.

"I'm being recalled."


	9. the Breaking Point

"I have to talk to Ed," Danny mumbled as he threw on his suit jacket. He hastily stuffed the notice into his inner pocket and grabbed his keys off the counter. He quickly patted his pockets – wallet, keys, and phone – all present and accounted for.

"You're damn right you are!" Delinda shrieked, getting up from the dining room table. She quickly closed the distance between them. "Daddy will take care of this. There is no way in hell you're going back there." Delinda paused at the kitchen island and opened her new silver Prada bag. "He'll get you out of this. Don't worry about a thing. I'll call him right now to let him know you're coming," she said as she began to rummage through the massive bag before frowning, "Where's my phone?"

Danny stared at her incredulously as she miraculous found the tiny phone and began dialing. "Get me out of this? Are you serious, Dee?"

Delinda furrowed her brows in confusion, but stopped dialing. "Yes, of course, Danny. Isn't that why you're going to see Daddy?"

Danny groaned. He should have known. "Don't you get it, Dee?"

"Get what, Danny?" she sighed, putting the phone on the counter. "I don't want to fight anymore."

Danny nodded, "Delinda, I don't want to fight either. But what makes you think that I want to get out of this?" Delinda looked at Danny blankly. "I made a commitment to the Marines and my country when I was eighteen, Dee. I'm not going to back out of this. Even if it may screw me up anymore. I'm going to go, Dee. That's just the way it is," he said before kissing the top of her head and heading for the door. "I'll see you at work."

"Danny, wait," Delinda called to him weakly as he opened the door. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the cool door.

"What is it now, Dee?" he growled. "I don't have much time left. I have to get all of my affairs in order before my flight."

Delinda swallowed hard. Surely, he wouldn't leave if she asked him to stay. Surely, he loved her this much. Maybe she should tell him about the test. "Danny, please stay. Because if you go, I may not be here when you get back."

Danny was taken aback. Did she just give him an ultimatum? Did she just ask him to choose between his sense of duty, honor, and country or her? Was she serious? How could she make such a demand on him? Especially now? As the shock faded away, he understood perfectly.

"Then maybe this is for the best and we should go our separate ways," Danny whispered, causing Delinda to crumple to the floor.

"Dee," Danny said as he gently picked her up and sat her on a stool. "Let's be honest with ourselves for a minute please?" Delinda nodded slightly as Danny wiped the tears from her eyes. "How long have we known each other, Dee?"

Delinda bit her lip. "I don't know. Five years, maybe?" she said softly, refusing to look Danny in the eye.

Danny nodded, "Yea, Dee. It's been about five years. Now tell me, Dee, how well do we really know about each other? More specifically, how well do you really know me?"

Delinda sniffed loudly and huffily crossed her arms, "What do you mean, Danny?"

Danny backed away and handed her a tissue. He waited patiently as she dabbed her eyes and blew her nose. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as she checked her reflection in her compact. He had to make her see. He had to make her understand.

"Tell me, Dee. What's my favorite ice cream?"

"What?" Delinda asked incredulously.

"Humor me, Dee."

Delinda frowned as she thought hard. The silence between them was deafening. Danny smiled ruefully.

"It's rocky road, Dee. What about cookie? What's my favorite cookie?"

"Danny, what do favorite foods have to do with anything?"

"Chocolate chip. Fine. I'll switch to history. How old was I when my mother died?"

"That happened, what? Two years ago? No, wait… I think that was your father. Um… you were young. Weren't you in grade school? I don't know, Danny. This is pointless."

"You're both right and wrong, my father died two years ago. I was ten when my mother died, Dee. And there is a point to this. But first, moving on, where do I go when I need to think or clear my head or just be alone? The roof of the Montecito," Danny continued to fire away. "What religion do I practice? Trick question, I'm a lapsed Catholic. I haven't been to mass since my mother died. Where did I finish my degree at? San Diego State University. What was my degree in? International Business. What was my high school mascot? The Neons. What's my favorite sport? Basketball. Who was my best friend growing up?"

"Why does everything have something to do with Mary?" Delinda suddenly exploded as she hopped off the stool. "Mary! Mary! Mary! It's always been you and Mary" she screamed. "I'm so sick and tired of being the villain! I'm not the wicked witch who stole Prince Charming away from the pure princess!"

"It was Greg, actually, Dee. Not Mary," Danny said quietly. "And here is the point to all of this."

"What? That I'm not Mary?"

"No, Dee… that after five years, you barely know me."

Delinda rolled her eyes. "I know you, Danny. I know that we have a lot of chemistry together. I know that we're great together – especially in bed."

"Yes, there's chemistry, Dee," Danny grudgingly admitted. "But what do you know about _me_, Dee? Really? Please tell me something about me that isn't superficial. Can you even tell me what my shoe size is?" Danny pled. "If you can do that, then…" he trailed off as Delinda dissolved into tears.

Danny rushed to her and he cupped her face in his hands. "Dee, I'm sorry to do this to you," he murmured. "Please know that I love you. But in the end, I love you as a friend and we just don't belong together in a matrimonially manner. And I hope that you understand that if you truly knew me; that you would never have asked me to choose between you and my convictions." Danny kissed the top of Delinda's head again. "I'm really sorry, but I really have to go now, Dee. Will you be okay?" She nodded as she pushed Danny away. "Dee, I'm really sorry."

"I am too, Danny," she smiled sadly. "But… I understand. I don't agree, but I understand. So… you take care of yourself and you come home to all of us alive, Danny McCoy."

"I will," Danny promised. "You take care as well," he said before leaving.

Delinda closed her eyes as the door clicked softly. He was gone and they were over. Another chapter in her life had been written. She took one last swipe at her mascara stained cheeks and headed towards the bathroom. She shook her head at her reflection before turning on the shower. _I look ridiculous, _she told herself as she stripped off her clothing. Her heart stopped as she stared in disbelief at the blood on her underwear.


	10. the Truth Prevails

**A/N -** I'm sorry I'm so lame. I keep promising updates, then don't deliver. I promise I'm trying, so please bear with me! I have too many muses throwing ideas at me. Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and reviewing! If it weren't for you all, I would have dropped this story for good a long time ago...

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Danny quietly sat alone as his friends and former co-workers milled around the Deline's expansive backyard. He calmly took a swig of beer and as he watched Mike and Ed by the grill, laughing as they cooked steaks and burgers, probably reminiscing over old times. A small smile spread across his face before he glanced over at Mitch and Derek conversing on the other side of the patio while Jillian floated around refilling drinks and greeting everyone. As he scanned the rest of the yard, he realized that he had seen Delinda and Sam a moment ago, but they were now nowhere to be found. Probably off somewhere to gossip.

Danny could not help but marvel at how at one time, he felt close to this group of people. These people were his family. He once knew their favorite drinks, how they liked their steaks cooked, who their favorite team was. He knew these people. And they knew him. Now, he felt disconnected and alienated from them. He wasn't sure why he was here in this familiar yet awkward setting. Then he remembered. He took another sip of his beer as he watched the patio door, waiting… patiently waiting to see her again.

The poolside meeting had not gone as smoothly as planned. In fact, as far as Danny was concerned, it didn't even happen. Danny was a mere five feet away from her when Ed suddenly appeared by his side, asking if he was ready to leave to make their tee time. Danny grudgingly left with Ed, Mike, and Derek for golf at the Wynn, but not before he threw her a wan smile.

He wondered where she was now. It was unlike Mary to be late for anything. Danny chuckled to himself. What had he just thought about the people around him now? How could he be so sure that he still knew Mary? He hadn't seen her since their one night together before he got his new deployment orders though he had spoken to her every chance he had while she was working in Hawaii for three months. Then one day, she had vanished. By the time he got back from Iraq three months later, she had left Hawaii and left no forwarding address or clues for Danny. Just a letter.

Danny had read and reread the letter hundreds of times. The paper was now soft from wear with tears along the creases from folding and refolding. He no longer took the letter out to read. It now stayed inside his wallet, the words long engraved inside his head.

…_I'm so sorry, Danny. Please know that I love you and always will..._

"Hey."

Danny jumped, almost spitting out his beer.

"Hey, Dee," Danny sputtered as Delinda slid into the seat across from him. "How's it going?"

"Danny, we need to talk," she said hurriedly.

"Okay…" Danny said slowly, steeling himself for whatever bomb Delinda was about to drop. "What's on your mind?"

Delinda took a deep breath, "Danny, I want to apologize."

Danny furrowed his brows in confusion. "I don't get it. For what, Dee?"

Delinda frowned, "For everything, I guess."

"Seriously, Dee. What are you talking about? I don't get it."

Delinda bit her lip. "Well, I get it now, Danny. I didn't before, but now I do. I don't know if it was because I was so… blinded. Or so… determined. Or so… whatever. Either way, I couldn't see it. I wouldn't. I… Well, it doesn't matter now because it all came into perspective for me. It all makes sense to me now. Sometime after last night or this morning, it hit me."

"You mean after seeing Derek?" Danny chided her.

Delinda punched him in the shoulder lightly. "Stop joking. I'm trying to be serious here."

"Sorry," Danny smiled.

"This is what we were meant to be, isn't it, Danny? Just friends? Like brother and sister?" Danny was silent as Delinda continued. "I tried… I wanted so hard to believe… But I realize now that we just weren't meant to be more than this. Friends. Not lovers. We never were. No matter how hard or how much or how many times we wanted or tried… It wasn't part of our destiny." Delinda smirked, "Not that we don't connect under or between the sheets."

"About that, Dee," Danny broke in. "I'm sorry about last night."

Delinda cocked her head to the side. "Sorry about what?"

Danny shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "You know… for kind of… taking advantage…"

Delinda laughed uproariously. "Danny, you're too sweet. You've always been so good to me, even when I didn't deserve it. You're such a good guy. Maybe that's why I wanted to believe in us so badly. I was so mad at you for leaving me." Danny opened his mouth to speak but Delinda cut him off. "But you were right, Danny. You were right. For as long as I've known you, I knew virtually nothing about you even though you know nearly everything about me. I had no right to demand you stay in the States with me. You were right to break it off then. You were brutally honest with me. And you were right. Now it's my turn to be honest with you. Danny, nothing happened last night."

"Dee, I woke up this morning and you were naked in my hotel room bed with me."

Delinda reached out and stroked Danny's cheek. "I sleep better naked, you know that."

"Dee… Be serious. Please."

"Danny, I am," Delinda insisted. "You honestly have no idea what happened last night, do you?"

"Not the slightest," Danny admitted. "It's pretty fuzzy after you and I left Pure."

"That explains why you acted so weird this morning," Delinda mused. "I should have known when I sat on your lap in the cabana..."

"Okay… so… what happened? After you and I left Pure? I remember Mitch and Mike leaving us to get drinks. Then you and I started talking… then I kissed you... we ended up in a taxi cab back to the hotel… we got naked… then I woke up with a massive hangover."

"Well…" Delinda blushed. "I don't know if you really want to know this."

"Dee," Danny sighed. "Just spill it."

"I got you out of your clothes…"

Then it dawned on Danny. "And I said that you were beautiful and called you Mary."

Delinda gave him a half smile. "Then you passed out."

"I'm so sorry, Dee."

"No, Danny. I am. Don't you get it? Up until last night, I was still under this crazy delusion that we were somehow meant to be. Now I know. Now I can let you go and move on. I'll no longer be this big blind and dumb obstacle in your way to happiness." Delinda got up and kissed Danny on the cheek. "I've been in your way long enough. I won't be anymore."

Danny squeezed her hand as she silently walked away. Left alone again, Danny processed the conversation in his head. He was glad Delinda finally had closure – even if it was five years later. Guilt had weighed heavily on him the day he left for Iraq. He hadn't planned on being so harsh with her. Then again, he hadn't planned on returning to a desert on the other side of the world, either. But he reasoned that he had no other choice. It was inevitable that their time together had ended. He knew that he couldn't lead her on any longer. Not when he knew that he didn't love her. He was in love with Mary. He scanned the yard again; no strawberry blonde haired females. Then he heard her.

"Hey," she said softly.


	11. the Nearness of You

"Hey yourself," he sputtered.

Danny froze as she slid into the seat next to him. How many beers had he had? Did Delinda slip him something? Or Mike? Was this a dream? Or a hallucination? He blinked rapidly. She was still there. He pinched himself. Still there. Besides, this couldn't be a dream or a hallucination – his Mary always looked the same. The Mary of his fantasies was always of her the last time he saw her – with long auburn hair, lips swollen from his kisses, naked body wrapped in his sheets, sleeping soundly in his arms. This was not that Mary. This was some sort of goddess.

He marveled at the figure beside him now. Her light strawberry blonde hair was cut into a sleek shoulder length bob. Gone was the flashy, skin exposing, showgirl Las Vegas look. She had grown into a more refined, simple elegance with her black sheath and heels. Her skin had always had a subtle bronze but now she emitted a healthy glow from days spent a beach relaxing, not baking in a hot desert.

But he knew that beyond a shadow of doubt that she was still the same Mary. Cosmetic changes could not and would not change the girl with a heart of gold. This was her. The same Mary he kissed behind the swings when they were kids. The same Mary he made love to before shipping out to boot camp. The same Mary that he fell in love with years ago. The same Mary that left him alone with a letter and numerous questions.

"So…" he said slowly. "Where have you been?"

Mary winced slightly, but quickly composed herself. "I was out by Hendersonville. It took me forever to get back here – obviously, since I'm the last one here. The traffic here seems to have gotten worse, as if that could be possible. Anyway, Carol moved out there with Ariel and Ashley a couple of years ago. Do you remember them?"

Danny nodded. This wasn't exactly the answer he was hoping for, but he knew if she was the same Mary, she would close herself off completely if he pushed too hard. Instead, he willed himself to relax and listen as Mary continued. He knew that she would get to the answer he was looking for eventually. Until then, he would enjoy just being near her.

"Carol's getting remarried to an investment banker. They met through some online dating service. I'm going to have Ed and Mitch run a pretty extensive background check on him before I leave. You never know. You know how creepy people can be." Danny smirked as Mary shuddered but smiled knowingly at him, "Don't pretend that you didn't do one on Jake."

"I didn't," Danny protested, though he did. He had checked every database available to him but he had turned out to be clean. Not even an unpaid parking ticket – just a family compound in Hawaii, an 802 credit score, and a modest salary at the public defender's office. Danny could still rattle off the now congressman's social security number, height, weight, and eye color on command if needed.

"Right," Mary rolled her eyes. "Ariel started high school last fall. Can you believe that she's going to be sixteen this year? She's even on the cheerleading squad like her older half-sister," Mary beamed. "But I highly doubt that she gets in even half the trouble we did," she smiled softly, causing Danny to grin mischievously. "Then Ashley… Ashley's one bright cookie. Unlike her sister who discovered boys at a young age, she hasn't discovered them yet, so she's still focused on learning while in school. She's been taking quite a few advanced and accelerated classes. I'm sure she's going to be able to write her own ticket when the time comes. Carol mentioned that she may even skip a year."

"That's great, Mare."

"Yea," she agreed. "I'm glad that they were able to move on since…"

Danny nodded in silent agreement.

"So, Mike tells me that you've taken over McCoy Construction," she said casually changing the subject.

Danny shrugged.

"Good for you, Danny," she said earnestly.

"I guess," he said as he sipped the last of the beer.

"You're not happy?"

Danny sighed, "It's not that I'm not happy. It's just… I don't know. I think I'm more bored than anything else. I've pretty much cut myself out of the day to day operations and let Jack run the place. He always knew more than I did and ever will. And my dad trusted him, so why wouldn't I? I'm more like a figurehead and board member more than anything else. Other than meetings here, I spend most of my time in LA now. I see Mike in New York every now and then. But that's about it."

"It's a little weird seeing everyone again, isn't it?" she asked quietly. "Especially me?"

"Honestly? A little. But not seeing or hearing from you has been the weirdest part." Mary smiled sadly. "What have you been up to? Where have you been?"

With all of the time and resources on his hands, Danny had checked the same databases he had used on Jake on her, but had constantly come up empty. Mike and Ed had been no help. Until earlier today, Danny had thought that Mary had severed all ties with her Las Vegas family. Now he knew that it was only to him. She had seen Mike in New York last spring with Sam. She spoke to Sam at least once a week. Ed and Jillian received a quarterly letter. Even Delinda received a Christmas card every year like the rest of them. But not Danny. He couldn't help but feel wounded when on the golf course, Derek even admitted to getting a letter every once in a while. He didn't understand what he had done to make her stay so far away from him.

Mary opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Ed announcing dinner was ready. She smiled at Danny, "Saved by the bell."

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**A/N** - Not the longest or greatest chapter, I know. Apologies for that, but I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!


	12. the End? An Author's Note

Dear Reader –

I'd like to extend my most sincere apologies to anyone who clicked on this expecting a new chapter. This is kind of mean, I know, but I hate having loose ends and think that you deserve an explanation for my lack of writing since you have taken the time to visit and/or review my story. This is the least I can do (though there this is a bit narcissism on my end thinking someone is reading this).

It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I regret to inform you (oh, how I love a cliche!) that the muse for this story has gone missing. Poof. Disappeared. Gone. Buh-bye. And as you can see by the date stamp on my previous update, she left me quite a while ago. I've been hoping that she would come back, but alas, no dice. Tonight, I realized that she's probably never coming back. Ever. But I can't seem to be able to bring myself to delete this story like it never happened. So, I will leave the status of this story as "on hiatus indefinitely" until then. (You never know, muses come back… don't they...?)

However, there is a tiny bit of a silver lining to this. _Las Vegas_ may be canceled, but Danny McCoy and Mary Connell will always hold a special place in my writer's heart and head. Though this story may never be finished, oddly enough, a new muse has been whispering ideas to me. Nothing is concrete story wise just yet, but I'm working on it, tossing ideas around back and forth. Whatever this story is if it ever comes to fruition, will most likely be alternate universe featuring the entire cast and will, of course, be Danny/Mary-centric.

I'd like to give my most heartfelt thank you to anyone and everyone who has ever read, reviewed, put on their story alert and/or put on their favorites list this story. You flatter and humble me and I hope to have a new story for you to read soon.

-k


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